Boys Basketball All-Area: Matt Nolan excelled in all facets

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DOING IT ALL
La Salle's Nolan excelled in all facets of the game

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

If there ever was a downside to watching La Salle High School's Matt Nolan on the basketball court, it was the realization it eventually would come to an end.

And as it turned out, it was much too soon.

There was nothing the 6-foot-6, 200-pound senior couldn't do, and just about everything was done with precision. That he elevated his game to become a more well- rounded player was a surprise to no one. Nolan exploited defenses with slashing moves to the basket. Leaving the lane open meant he'd throw it down with authority, just like he did six games into the season, and it happened at Pasadena Poly during tournament play.

Nolan took a pass from the baseline, drove inside and laid down a monstrous two-handed dunk. The backboard shattered and glass came crashing down. The initially stunned crowd later cheered. It's something rarely ever done, let alone in the Valley. The 16-second clip got well over 10,000 hits on YouTube and aired on local sports shows.

The game ended with 2:24 left and the Lancers leading 57-44, but it was only the beginning of what was to come from Nolan.

"That sort of ignited me to lift up my game even more," he said.

Nolan, who averaged 15.8 points, 11 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, led La Salle to a 20-9 record, its first Camino Real League championship in three years and its second consecutive quarterfinal appearance in the CIF-Southern Section Division 4A playoffs. He had double figures in points and rebounds in 18 games, which earned him the league's Most Valuable Player honors and first-team All-CIF honors in Division 4A.

For his offensive prowess, leadership and sportsmanship, Nolan is the 2010 Star-News Player of the Year.

"It means a lot to me," Nolan said. "I made All-Area last year but I wasn't as consistent as this year. I felt I had to work harder for that and I wanted it more for my team than for myself.

"When coach told me about this honor, I felt really proud and humble because of all the good players who have come from this area."

It seems like La Salle coach Steve Goldstein gets spoiled with great athletes, and this year was no exception.

"He's natural at whatever he decided to do," Goldstein said. "He added so many elements to his game because he really enjoyed all the aspects of basketball."

Nolan was listed as a center, but his versatility made it difficult for others to guard him. He can shoot from the 3-point line, post up inside, hit the mid-range shot and pass well and was just as dominant when defending. He overpowered smaller opponents, ran past bigger players and slashed to the basket.

The three-year letterman played with finesse, but his aggressiveness is what makes him the area's best player.

A capsule look at the first-team members of the 2010 Star-News All-Area Team:

Forward: Todd Lewis Jr., Pasadena, Jr.

Lewis, who averaged 17 points and eight rebounds per game, played an instrumental part in leading the Bulldogs to a Pacific League championship, a run to the CIF-SS Division 2A finals and the semifinals of the CIF State Division II Southern California Regional. He scored a game-high 21 points on 10-of-18 shooting in the Division 2A final to earn first-team All-CIF honors.

Guard/forward: Daniel Wohl, Pasadena Poly, Jr.

Wohl, who averaged 18.9 points and 7.6 rebounds, led the Panthers to a 23-5 record and a semifinal run in the CIF-SS Division 5AA playoffs. He earned MVP honors in the San Gabriel Tournament, first-team All-Prep League and first-team All-CIF honors.

Guard/forward: Deshawn Hayes, Muir, Jr.

Hayes, an explosive guard who can get above the rim, led the Mustangs to their first CIF-SS Division 4A playoff appearance in nearly a decade. He averaged 21.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals.

Guard: George Toyama, Pasadena, Sr.

Toyama, a four-year letterman with a steady hand, averaged 13 points and three assists. He earned co-MVP honors in the Pacific League and first-team All-CIF honors after leading the Bulldogs to a 26-8 record. He made key defensive stops in Pasadena's 49-43 win over Murrieta Valley in the second round of the CIF State Division II Southern California Regional, a victory that Pasadena coach Tim Tucker called a signature win for the program.

Guard: Timmy Wong, Keppel, Sr.

Wong averaged 14 points and five assists in the Almont League, but opposing coaches quickly took notice when he elevated his game during the playoffs, when he averaged 17 points and six assists. He was quick off the dribble, had great ball-handling skills and defended well.

Wong earned first-team All- League honors and was first-team All-CIF after leading the Aztecs to a 24-7 record and to their first Division 2A semifinal appearance, as well as their first CIF State playoff appearance.

miguel.melendez@sgvn.com

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WITH TUCKER CALLING SHOTS, PASADENA MET THE CHALLENGE

TIM TUCKER

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

The challenge in coaching the Pasadena High School boys basketball team was meeting high expectations set by Bulldogs coach Tim Tucker despite returning just one starter.

The road seemed tumultuous more often than not. Pasadena got off to a 6-4 start with various lineups, but Tucker challenged them to find themselves despite early struggles and didn't let it deter them from their goal of reaching the CIF-Southern Section Division 2A title game. It was no secret how Tucker felt - reach the final or call the season a failure.

The bar was set high, but Pasadena (26-8, 13-1 in Pacific League) responded by winning 18 of its last 20 games to reach the Division 2A final.

It was clear the Bulldogs were a different team in the playoffs and no longer a team marred by turnovers. It became a team known for handcuffing defense and an offense that was well-balanced, no longer searching for a go-to guy.

Pasadena showed how much it had grown, and the architect behind the Bulldogs' success was Tucker, who erased two years of second-round playoff exits with a run up to the divisional final. If nothing else, Pasadena basketball was back, and it's why Tucker is the 2010 Star-News Coach of the Year.

"It was a challenge all year," Tucker said. "We were trying to find chemistry and probably for the first time in a few years we didn't have go-to guys. We had balanced scoring, and it made it fun because on any given night anyone was going to have 15 or 16 points. It was truly a team effort."

George Toyama is a four-year letterman and the lone returning starter not counting Steven Adams, who wasn't 100 percent after brain surgery last year. Seniors Chris Bridges, Tyler Barber and Steven Shares gave the Bulldogs experience it needed, but the likes of junior Todd Lewis Jr. and freshman Brandon Jolley showed they could play under pressure.

"It took us a long time to jell," Tucker said, "and for people to find their roles. We got started, stuttered, then we went on a roll, lost one game to Burbank and went back on a roll and found a way to get things done."

Pasadena maintained its No. 2 spot in the CIF-SS Division 2A poll and was poised to meet Eisenhower in the finals. The Bulldogs did, but shot poorly and lost, 52-43. Still, Pasadena stayed within striking distance in the closing minutes because of its stellar defense, and was that close to bringing home the school's fifth championship.

Pasadena kept its fans on the edge of their seats with signature wins on the road, first against Mira Costa in the quarterfinals of the Division 2A playoffs and then in the quarterfinals of the CIF State Division 2 Southern California Regional against Murrieta Valley. In both games, the Bulldogs trailed at the half, and it wasn't until the fourth quarter when they gained control with stifling defense that generated points. Pasadena went on to play Lincoln of San Diego in the semifinals, but the Bulldogs were emotionally and physically drained. By season's end, Pasadena traveled more than 700 miles and played four games in a week.

"To win that game at Murrieta in front of a hostile environment was a big signature win for our program," Tucker said. "If anything, I thought we ran out of gas, traveling so much. But I'm proud of my guys because this season they put together brought Pasadena together."

miguel.melendez@sgvn.com